THE
FACULTY
SENATE
Senate
Document Number 2108S
Date
of Senate Approval 01/31/08
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Statement
of Faculty Senate Action:
APC Document 5: Change the course descriptions for MLA 670 and 680
Effective Date: Fall 2008
1. Delete: On page 194, the description for MLA 670:
670 Scholarly
Inquiry Seminar (3)
This seminar provides a forum for students to develop
their individual scholarly interests into a capstone MLA project. Includes
survey of techniques of inquiry in the arts, humanities, social sciences and
natural sciences, as well as practical issues from finding a topic, to final
presentation and defense. Students will define a topic for the project seminar
and begin preliminary research. Project proposals must be approved by the
project advisor, the project seminar instructor and the Graduate Council.
Prerequisite: 21 hours in the MLA Program. (Grading S/U). Spring.
Add: On page 194, in place of deleted entry:
670 Scholarly Inquiry Seminar (3)
This seminar provides a forum for students to develop
their individual scholarly interests into a capstone MLA project. Includes
survey of techniques of inquiry in the arts, humanities, social sciences and
natural sciences, as well as practical issues from finding a topic, to final
presentation and defense. Students will define a topic for the project seminar
and begin preliminary research. Project proposals must be approved by the
project advisor, the instructor of MLA 670, and the MLA Director. Prerequisite:
21 hours in the MLA Program. (Grading S/U). Spring.
Impact Statement: The proposed change will
have no impact on the curriculum. Projects will no longer be approved by the
graduate council, but instead by the MLA Director.
Rationale: Students will be afforded
greater opportunity for feedback.
2. Delete: On page 194, the entry for MLA 680:
680
Project Seminar (3)
Seminar dedicated
to the completion of a capstone scholarly research project under the direction
of a project advisor and project seminar instructor. Typically the project
takes the form of a major research paper (40-50 pages), but alternatives,
including creative projects in the arts or literature are permitted with the
concurrence of the advisor and project seminar instructor. Drafts are presented
and defended in the seminar, and final projects are due before the end of the
semester. No extensions are allowed; those who do not complete the project must
retake the seminar in the following year. Prerequisite: Successful completion
of MLA 670. (Grading S/U). Fall.
Add: On page 194, in place of deleted entry:
680
Project Seminar (3)
Seminar dedicated to the completion of a capstone
scholarly research project under the direction of a project advisor and project
seminar instructor. Typically the project takes the form of a major research
paper (40-50 pages), but alternatives, including creative projects in the arts
or literature are permitted with the concurrence of the advisor and MLA 670
instructor of record. Drafts are presented and final projects are defended in
the seminar before the end of the semester. The final paper/project is approved
by the instructor of 680, the MLA Director, and the project advisor.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of MLA 670. (Grading S/U). Fall.
Impact Statement: The proposed changes will
have no impact on the curriculum. Final projects will no longer be approved by
the graduate council, but instead by the 680 instructor, the project advisor,
and the MLA Director.
Rationale: The current obligation to
repeat the project seminar if the work is not satisfactory at the close of the
semester is too punitive. The project seminar is only offered once each year,
in the fall semester. The recommended change allows for greater flexibility,
especially with students whose projects are near completion at the end of the
Project Seminar semester.
Making approval of the thesis/project the
responsibility of the 680 instructor, the advisor, and the MLA Director will
afford each student greater opportunity for feedback while assuring that at
least one person (the MLA Director) reads all final capstones as a quality
control measure.